"Grey, Zane - Betty Zane" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grey Zane)

the cause of all this commotion among the smaller fishes, and then, opening
wide his jaws would take the bait with one voracious snap.

Presently something took hold of Betty's line and moved out toward the middle
of the pool. She struck and the next instant her rod was bent double and the
tip under water.

"Pull your rod up!" shouted Alfred. "Here, hand it to me."

But it was too late. A surge right and left, a vicious tug, and Betty's line
floated on the surface of the water.

"Now, isn't that too bad? He has broken my line. Goodness, I never before felt
such a strong fish. What shall I do?"

"You should be thankful you were not pulled in. I have been in a state of fear
ever since we commenced fishing. You move round in this canoe as though it
were a raft. Let me paddle out to that little ripple and try once there; then
we will stop. I know you are tired."

Near the center of the pool a half submerged rock checked the current and
caused a little ripple of the water. Several times Alfred had seen the dark
shadow of a large fish followed by a swirl of the water, and the frantic
leaping of little bright-sided minnows in all directions. As his hook, baited
with a lively shiner, floated over the spot, a long, yellow object shot from
out that shaded lair. There was a splash, not unlike that made by the sharp
edge of a paddle impelled by a short, powerful stroke, the minnow disappeared,
and the broad tail of the fish flapped on the water. The instant Alfred
struck, the water boiled and the big fish leaped clear into the air, shaking
himself convulsively to get rid of the hook. He made mad rushes up and down
the pool, under the canoe, into the swift current and against the rocks, but
all to no avail. Steadily Alfred increased the strain on the line and
gradually it began to tell, for the plunges of the fish became shorter and
less frequent. Once again, in a last magnificent effort, he leaped straight
into the air, and failing to get loose, gave up the struggle and was drawn
gasping and exhausted to the side of the canoe.

"Are you afraid to touch him?" asked Alfred.

"Indeed I am not," answered Betty.

"Then run your hand gently down the line, slip your fingers in under his gills
and lift him over the side carefully."

"Five pounds," exclaimed Alfred, when the fish lay at his feet. "This is the
largest black bass I ever caught. It is pity to take such a beautiful fish out
of his element."

"Let him go, then. May I?" said Betty.